Legislative activity

In 2010 the 41st National Assembly has adopted 167 laws, 121 decisions and one declaration. The numbers appear in the summary prepared by the parliamentary Directorate of Legislative Affairs and European Law. Parliament has held 130 plenary sittings, including seven extraordinary. During the year, the National Assembly has received a total of 273 bills of which 162 submitted by the Council of Ministers. The number of rejected bills is 19 and of those withdrawn 22.

From 1 January to 13 December 2010 the number of draft resolutions was 167, 146 of which moved by MPs. The National Assembly considered also 6 draft addresses and declarations. In 2010 the National Assembly adopted a special Declaration on occasion of the 20th anniversary since the convention of the Grand National Assembly of 1990-1991.

During its Fourth session the 41st National Assembly has passed 55 laws and 33 resolutions. During the fall session, starting on September 1st and ending on December 13 2010, the parliament received a total of 96 bills, 40 submitted by MPs, and 56 by the Council of Ministers.

During the Fourth session, the 41st National Assembly has debated 34 draft resolutions, 30 of which proposed by MPs. In the same period one declaration was adopted. During this period the Parliament has had 49 plenary sittings, including six extraordinary.

Parliamentary Control

In 2010 members of the government have answered questions of MPs in the course of 152 hours and 27 minutes. The parliamentary scrutiny was exercised through questions and interpellations, debates on interpellations and by special hearings.

Beginning on 1 January till 3 December 2010, parliamentary control was performed throughout 56 plenary sittings. During 2010, in the 41st National Assembly were raised a total of 972 questions and 184 interpellations. 406 questions and 10 interpellations received written answers, while the other 566 questions and 174 interpellations had to be answered in the plenary. The total of questions answered amounts to 794 and 132 interpellations, while some 50 questions and 15 interpellations are yet processed. 38 questions and 3 interpellations were withdrawn.

Members of the GERB parliamentary group have asked 44 questions and 11 interpellations. The PG of Coalition for Bulgaria 492 questions and 91 interpellations. The Blue Coalition PG has placed 260 questions and 22 interpellations, the Ataka PG 96 questions and 17 interpellations, the group of independent MPs 48 and 38 respectively.

The highest number of answered questions falls on the ministers of health (a total of 112) questions. The Minister of Regional Development Rosen Plevneliev responded to 107 questions and inquiries, the Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Traycho Traykov to 87, the Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov to 82, the Minister of Agriculture and Foods Miroslav Naydenov to 80, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Tsvetanov to 67, the Minister of Environment and Water Nona Karadjova to 60, the Minister of Labour and Social Policy Totyu Mladenov to 58, the Minister of Education and Science Sergei Ignatov to 51. The Prime Minister Boyko Borisov has answered 48 questions and interpellations, the Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology Alexander Tsvetkov - 43, the Minister of Culture Rashidov - 37, the Justice Minister Margarita Popova - 27, the  Defence Minister Anyu Angelov - 27; the Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov – 26, the Minister for management of European Union funds Tomislav Donchev - 6; the Minister without Portfolio Bogidar Dimitrov - 6, the Minister of Physical Education and Sports Svilen Neykov - 4.

The first eight MPs who raised the most questions and interpellations rank as follows: Ivan Nikolaev Ivanov - 95; Vanyo Sharkov - 64; Lachezar Toshev - 56; Yane Yanev - 49; Anton Kutev – 48, Peter Kurumbashev  40, Dimitar Gorov - 36; Kornelia Ninova 35.

During the period a debate was held on one interpellation, concerning repeated acts of police violence against Bulgarian citizens. The hearing took place on 22 October 2010 and was directed at the deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Tsvetan Tsvetkov. The hearing was initiated by the members of the opposition Movement for Rights and Freedoms Tuncher Kurgaliev and Chetin Kazak. There were 3 hearings during 2010

During the Second session of the 41st NA one hearing was held on the proposition of MPs Martin Dimitrov and Ivan Nikolaev Ivanov. The Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism Traycho Traykov was summoned to answer questions regarding his statements made in public about the future construction of Belene NPP. The hearing was held on February 26, 2010.

During the Third session there was a hearing on a proposal by MPs Mihail Mikov, Lyutvi Mestan, Hristo Bisserov and Angel Naydenov. The subject of the hearing was the police violence against innocent civilians in the town of Kurgali and the Interior Minister Tsvetanov was called to explain what has happen at the sitting on July 28, 2010.

During the Fourth session a hearing was held on the proposal of lawmakers Vanyo Sharkov, Dimo Ghiaurov, Yordan Bakalov, Lachezar Toshev and Tzvetan Kostov. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Simeon Djankov gave explanations on the issue concerning the spending from the previous balance (surplus) of the Health Insurance Fund since 2000 from its account in the Central Bank. The hearing was held on September 9, 2010

Control was exercised over the distribution among MPs of 23 reports on hearings held by the National Assembly’s standing committees.

During the Fourth session, 45 hours and 23 minutes were spent on parliamentary control. The parliamentary oversight was carried out in 15 plenary sittings, through questions and interpellations, debate on interpellations, and special hearings.

During the 4th session 319 questions and 67 interpellations were put up. Of these, 123 questions and 4 interpellations were answered in written and 196 questions and 63 interpellations orally. 50 questions and 15 interpellations remain to be answered, while 10 questions were withdrawn.

During the Fourth session, the GERB PG has placed 18 questions and 4 interpellations; the Coalition for Bulgaria - 175 questions and 47 interpellations; the MRF PG - 14 questions and 1 interpellation. The Blue Coalition PG 79 and 4; the Ataka Party PG - 27 and 4; the group of the independent MPs - 7 questions and 7 interpellations.